The following is a summary from an article that appeared in the Mountain Eagle newspaper, Whitesburg, KY, on July 22, 1987:
Klair Back and two of his brothers, Charles Harold Back and John Verdell Back, of Letcher County, KY, all did well in their military careers. They served during three wars: World War II, the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam War. All three reached the rank of Colonel and held the highest commands possible for that rank.
Perhaps they were motivated, at least in part, to follow a military career because of family tradition. Their father, Captain Charles H. Back, served under the command of General "Black Jack" Pershing in the wars against Pancho Villa on the Mexican border. He reared his sons in the military tradition.
Klair Back, the oldest of the brothers, took flying lessons while attending Georgetown College in Georgetown, KY. He joined the Air Corps in 1939. During World War II, he was assigned to train pilots, first in Georgia, then in 1943 as an instructor at West Point. After the war, he served as attache to Greece for three years. For this service he earned the Greek Cross. During the Korean Conflict, he commanded the 3rd Air Rescue Squadron, for which he was awarded the Presidential Citation. Colonel Klair Back retired from the Air Force in 1968.
After retirement from the military, all three brothers had successful civilian careers: Klair with the Health Department in Sumpter, South Carolina; Charles Harold as an instructor at Parks Air College at St. Pois University; and John Verdall for Maricopa County, AZ. Klair Back died in 1987. He was brought back to his native Letcher County for burial in the Sandlick Cemetery at Whitesburg, KY.
Klair Back and two of his brothers, Charles Harold Back and John Verdell Back, of Letcher County, KY, all did well in their military careers. They served during three wars: World War II, the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam War. All three reached the rank of Colonel and held the highest commands possible for that rank.
Perhaps they were motivated, at least in part, to follow a military career because of family tradition. Their father, Captain Charles H. Back, served under the command of General "Black Jack" Pershing in the wars against Pancho Villa on the Mexican border. He reared his sons in the military tradition.
Klair Back, the oldest of the brothers, took flying lessons while attending Georgetown College in Georgetown, KY. He joined the Air Corps in 1939. During World War II, he was assigned to train pilots, first in Georgia, then in 1943 as an instructor at West Point. After the war, he served as attache to Greece for three years. For this service he earned the Greek Cross. During the Korean Conflict, he commanded the 3rd Air Rescue Squadron, for which he was awarded the Presidential Citation. Colonel Klair Back retired from the Air Force in 1968.
After retirement from the military, all three brothers had successful civilian careers: Klair with the Health Department in Sumpter, South Carolina; Charles Harold as an instructor at Parks Air College at St. Pois University; and John Verdall for Maricopa County, AZ. Klair Back died in 1987. He was brought back to his native Letcher County for burial in the Sandlick Cemetery at Whitesburg, KY.
The following is a summary from an article that appeared in the Mountain Eagle newspaper, Whitesburg, KY, on July 22, 1987:
Klair Back and two of his brothers, Charles Harold Back and John Verdell Back, of Letcher County, KY, all did well in their military careers. They served during three wars: World War II, the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam War. All three reached the rank of Colonel and held the highest commands possible for that rank.
Perhaps they were motivated, at least in part, to follow a military career because of family tradition. Their father, Captain Charles H. Back, served under the command of General "Black Jack" Pershing in the wars against Pancho Villa on the Mexican border. He reared his sons in the military tradition.
Klair Back, the oldest of the brothers, took flying lessons while attending Georgetown College in Georgetown, KY. He joined the Air Corps in 1939. During World War II, he was assigned to train pilots, first in Georgia, then in 1943 as an instructor at West Point. After the war, he served as attache to Greece for three years. For this service he earned the Greek Cross. During the Korean Conflict, he commanded the 3rd Air Rescue Squadron, for which he was awarded the Presidential Citation. Colonel Klair Back retired from the Air Force in 1968.
After retirement from the military, all three brothers had successful civilian careers: Klair with the Health Department in Sumpter, South Carolina; Charles Harold as an instructor at Parks Air College at St. Pois University; and John Verdall for Maricopa County, AZ. Klair Back died in 1987. He was brought back to his native Letcher County for burial in the Sandlick Cemetery at Whitesburg, KY.
Klair Back and two of his brothers, Charles Harold Back and John Verdell Back, of Letcher County, KY, all did well in their military careers. They served during three wars: World War II, the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam War. All three reached the rank of Colonel and held the highest commands possible for that rank.
Perhaps they were motivated, at least in part, to follow a military career because of family tradition. Their father, Captain Charles H. Back, served under the command of General "Black Jack" Pershing in the wars against Pancho Villa on the Mexican border. He reared his sons in the military tradition.
Klair Back, the oldest of the brothers, took flying lessons while attending Georgetown College in Georgetown, KY. He joined the Air Corps in 1939. During World War II, he was assigned to train pilots, first in Georgia, then in 1943 as an instructor at West Point. After the war, he served as attache to Greece for three years. For this service he earned the Greek Cross. During the Korean Conflict, he commanded the 3rd Air Rescue Squadron, for which he was awarded the Presidential Citation. Colonel Klair Back retired from the Air Force in 1968.
After retirement from the military, all three brothers had successful civilian careers: Klair with the Health Department in Sumpter, South Carolina; Charles Harold as an instructor at Parks Air College at St. Pois University; and John Verdall for Maricopa County, AZ. Klair Back died in 1987. He was brought back to his native Letcher County for burial in the Sandlick Cemetery at Whitesburg, KY.
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